1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to flat circuit board electrical connectors.
2. Description of the Related Art
The conventional flat circuit boards include flexible print circuit (FPC) boards and flat cables. JP 11-031561 discloses an electrical connector for connecting such a flat circuit board to another circuit board or the like.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the electrical connector of the above reference includes a housing 52 and a plurality of flat terminals 51 supported by the housing 52. The terminal 51 has a substantially H-shaped form that has upper and lower arms linked at a midpoint such that the upper arm is able to swing at the midpoint. The upper arm has a support section 54A on the right side of the midpoint 53 and, on the left side, a contact section 54B with a contact projection 54C. The lower arm has a support section 55A on the right side of the midpoint 53 and, on the left side, a fixing section 55D with a projection 55C.
A channel 56 is provided in the housing 52 to receive the terminal 51 from the right side. All the channels 56 are communicated by left and right side openings 57 and 58 of the housing 52. A flat circuit board is inserted into a space between the contact sections 54B and the fixing sections 55D through the left side opening 57. A movable member 59 is supported in the right side opening 58 for rotation. The movable member 59A is made of an insulative material so as to have an operational section 59A, a shaft section 59B, and a pressure section 59C. The operational section 59A projects from the housing 52 through the right side opening 58. The shaft section 59B has a semi-circular cross-section and supported by the support section 55A of the lower arm. When the movable member 59 is turned clockwise to the closed position, the pressure section 59C pushes up the support section 54A of the terminal 51.
A pair of stud portions 59D extends outward from the opposite sides of the movable member 59 along the center line of the shaft section 59B. When the movable member 59 is rotated, the stud portions 59D are rotatably supported along with the shaft section 59B. A tapered indentation 61 and a stepped indentation 62 are provided in the inside of a side wall 60 of the housing, and a slit 64 is provided in a top wall 63 adjacent to another side wall 60, allowing the side wall 60 to flex outward. The movable member 59 is attached to the housing 52 from right side such that the stud portion 59 passes over the tapered indentation 61 and snaps in the stepped indentation 62, providing resistance to accidental separation.
In the connector of the above Patent reference, the stud portions snap in the stepped indentations to prevent separation of the movable member. When the number of terminals is large, however, the movable member becomes so wide that it becomes susceptible to warping under external forces, causing separation of the movable member, resulting in contact failure between the terminal and the flat circuit board.